The Film Daily (1918)

ZfeBRADSTREET of FILMDOM zfeRECOOMIZED Authority Vol. V, No. 97 Wednesday, August 14, 1918 Price 5 Cents Back from Alaska Dawley Concludes Honeymoon — Won't Return to Famous Players J. Searle Dawley, former director for Marguerite Clark and for the past three years head of the M.'P. D. A., returned to town this week after an absence of three months, the greater part of which was spent on a trip to Alaska. Mr. Dawley stated yesterday that he would not return to the Famous Players-Lasky organization, nor would he consider any hasty proposition. He intimated, in fact, that he may not return to the directing field at all, because of the attention demanded by several of his outside interests. It is considered possible, however, that Mr. Dawley may be instrumental in forming his own producing organization which would mean handling a proposition to develop a star of the Marguerite Clark type. He has already turned down several offers that were made him to direct various stars and the F. P.-L. were also desirous that he return with them to direct Elsie Ferguson. Bushman and Bayne Returning Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne will return to town late this week and on Monday will start on their first picture production as man and wife. The feature will be started at the Metro studio. The working title for the feature is "Little Miss Money-Bags," by Elaine Sterne. Charles A. Brabin will direct and the screen version was made by Albert Shelby Levino. Village Board Upheld CHICAGO.— Oak Park still refuses to allow motion pictures on Sunday. F. A. Pringle, the village attorney, at a meeting of the residents, submitted an opinion holding that the village board's order prohibiting Sunday picture shows was valid. The theatre owners of the. village contend that the young people go to the "loop" theatres in Chicago and to other nearby towns on Sundays because they can't see pictures at their own theatre's. Uncle Sam Wants You Uncle Sam is looking for scenario writers and is willing to pay $1,600 a year for their services. Practical tests are to be held September 18, and the writers selected are to prepare and edit motion picture scenarios dealing with agriculture, home economics and other subjects covered by the department of agriculture. Willard Patterson, manager of the Criterion theatre of Atlanta, is in New York for a few days. He has contracted for all Select pictures. Close For Specials Mayer and Gordon Get Big U Features for New England Louis B. Mayer of Boston arrived in town yesterday and closed a contract with the Universal whereby the Mayer and Gordon faction will have the distribution in New England of all of the big special productions and the Jewel features exclusively in that section of the country. Heretofore the Universal was interested in an exchange in Boston which handled its product for New England. The Metro was also part of this organization. Under the present agreement this exchange will handle only the Bluebird and smaller Universal output. BRANCH MANAGERS ARE TOGETHER Goldwyn's Defense of Los Angeles Exchange Man Wins Enthusiastic Support As evidence of appreciation of its stand in declining, at the demand of the Los Angeles Exhibitors' Association, to remove its branch manager in that city, Goldwyn Distributing Corporation has received the following letter, addressed to F. B. Warren, a vice-president of the company: "We, the undersigned, branch managers of the city of Los Angeles, desire to express our approval and appreciation of the stand which your corporation took in connection with the request of the Theatre Owners' Association of this city asking for the removal of the manager of your exchange. Had you conceded to their demands the result would have injured the relationship between exhibitors and the exchange managers of all branches of this city, giving them the impression that any time they had an imaginary grievance they could ask for the removal of that particular manager. "Assuring you again that your decisive reply is mosl gratifying, we are, "Very truly yours. (Signed) T. E. Hancock, World Film Corp.: D. Bershpn, Universal Film Exchanges. Inc.; A. R. Patten. Mutual Film Corp.: F. R. Durand, General Film Co.; E. D. Tate, Pathe Exchange, Inc.; E. G. Wakefield, Geo. Kleine System; J. S. Marley, Triangle Distributing Corp.; W. H. Hepburn, Vitagraph Co.; M. A. Walsh, Fox Film Corp.; H. G. Ballany, Famous Players-Lasky Corp.; Louis Hyman, All-Star Features Distrib. Corp.; A. B. Lamb, Metro Pictures Corp." A copy of a letter written to Goldwyn's Los Angeles manager by W. B. Walker, owner of the Liberty theatre at Needles, Cal., has been sent to Mr. Warren by Mr. Walker. It reads: "I have found out through other sources about the trouble between you and a certain exhibitor in your terrig tory regarding contracts with him and that they have tried to depose you as manager of that branch. I trulyr admire your stand in this case and also admire the stand of the home office. Let me in the name of the Liberty Amusement Association congratulate you on the stand you took in this case and also for standing up for the rights of your company, of which I am a great admirer. Please give me particulars regarding the new year policy or have a representative cal! on me. as I want all the pictures put out by Goldwyn."